Love It When a Plan Comes Together, Bucs Dump Brewers 6-4

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Just adding up all the predictions from my friends who are Brewers fans today. The Bucs

defeated the Brewers last night by getting six runs on twelve hits, ten of the hits were singles. Every player in the starting lineup had at least one hit except that nasty second base hole for the Pirates.  Bobby Crosby had an ohfer.  The Pirates scored with runners on base effectively last night as everyone in the starting lineup, from Garrett Jones down to the pitcher Brian Burres, was able to drive in a run for the Pirates.

If the Brewers don’t score eight runs, it’s not good.  The Beer Makers have a 15-24 record.  They have ten wins when they scored eight or more runs. When they don’t put up runs, they lose.  In fact in games in which the Brew Crew don’t score at least eight they have lost 24 games.  But more on the Brewers awful pitching later from Ken Rosenthal.

Hanrahan Slams the Door:

Joel Hanrahan strikes out Rickie Weeks and Alcides Escobar.  It was a crucial moment in the game.  He gets the Rum.

The Ryan’s Trade Dumb Plays:

Exhibit A:   Ryan Braun is a great ball player. We despise Braun. Mainly because he has destroyed the Pirates repeatedly. Getting tagged out by Andy Laroche after he stole second was not good.  Why would he try such nonsense?  He took a few big steps toward third base.  He changed his mind and was tagged out.  It was the the ninth inning Braun.  Your team was down by two runs.  I can’t say I have ever seen Braun make a play like he did last night.  I doubt I ever will again.  Unfortunately.

Dumb Play Exhibit B:   Ryan Doumit tries to call timeout with Escobar on the basepaths?  What?  Of course Escobar scores on the next Brewer hitter.  It was an awful play.  Why?

After the Brewers took a one run lead in the top of the seventh, Garrett Jones got a single through the right side to tie the game back up. It was Jones 29th RBI. McCutchen scored from third on a bloop single by Ryan Doumit to give the Pirates the lead.

Strikeouts for Everyone: We have seen so little swing and miss in years past from the Pirates pitching staff. Last night highlighted the new found stuff the hurlers are displaying this season. Many of the strikeouts came in crucial Pirate pitcher Brian Burres went six and struckout three batters. Lopez two Hanrahan two and Dotel got another.

No Guts No Glory?  Steve Pearce was three for four and scored a run.  He also caught a break on the basepaths when he ran to third on a ball hit right in front of him.  It was dumb.  But he made it and it had production impact.  He scored on the sacrifice fly on the next play.   He had two errors in the field.  It’s very rare for Pearce to jack up in the field. 

After being called up Pearce went one for his first ten.  Since then he has five hits in his past twelve at-bats.

Ugh!  Cutch just missed a cheap bomb in the third inning.  What was that ten feet?

How Big Has BB Been? Brian Burres has provided some very nice starts for the Bucs.  helped himself with the bat?  He got two strikes faster than LT came up with that I am turning Japanese alibi and then rips a single to give himself a hand with another run. 

Hat Tip:  How did that fan in the McCutchen jersey stay away from Braun’s smash off the left field wall?

Looking Up:  Ronny Cedeno got caught in the run down after Burres drove in the third Bucco run, because he never lifted his head to see what the centerfielder was doing.  Ugh.  It was the third out of the inning.  It came when Prince Fielder tagged him about ten feet from the third base bag.

Linkage: 

Pitching is the key for the Brewers Ken Rosenthal says in this story. 

Jeff Clement and his approach at the plate are detailed in this in-depth piece of work.  It is very high quality with videos and descriptive analysis as always by Project Prospect. 

"Because Clement uses his big muscles (hips, shoulders, arms and chest) to do all the work, his hands are long and slow to the ball. He doesn’t engage his hands to get the barrel moving, which doesn’t give his top hand a chance to maintain control of the barrel — and, as I mentioned earlier, it ends up getting buried behind his helmet."

Donnelly is Back:  So who goes down today?

Tonight:  Paul Maholm has lost five of the past six decisions against Milwaukee.  Whatever.  Chris Narveson goes for the Brewers.  Narveson has allowed four earned runs or less in each of his four starts this season.

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